


Desert Storm

by Floris_Oren



Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Anakin is a confused Padawan, Gen, Hurt Obi-Wan, Hurt/Comfort, Mace Windu needs to keep his assumptions to himself, My OC's do a thing, Not a lot of angst, Obi-Wan trying to figure out how to actually be a good master, Protective Anakin, Security footage fixes everything because I say so, Supportive Obi-Wan, Temple life, it's okay to cry, kind of, lightsaber fights, this takes place right after Naboo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-15
Updated: 2016-08-15
Packaged: 2018-08-08 20:33:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7772197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Floris_Oren/pseuds/Floris_Oren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The meaning of one small, red bead from Naboo and just like the points on "Who's Line is it Anyway." the conflict doesn’t matter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Desert Storm

**Author's Note:**

> A vague line hit me in the middle of searching for Quin/Obi stuff on tumblr and somehow it turned into this. THIS WILL ONLY BE ONE CHAPTER. I won't add any more to it. I also haven't done a lot of Master Obi and Padawan Anakin stuff. So yeah. 
> 
> Please enjoy.

_ The moment Obi-Wan decidedly felt that he had no idea what in the seven hells of the Sith he was doing;  _ is the moment he and Anakin get back to the Temple from Naboo. The ceremony had been long and tedious. He still dressed in his Padawan Fatigues and Anakin’s had been specially made up by Padme’s own Royal Seamstress after examining Obi-Wan’s own clothing. The stitch work was far more fancy than the Temple’s own seamster’s hand. 

 

The boy fiddled with his braid. Obi-Wan purchased some beads at a local stall when he had a chance at at the top of the braid, hidden a bit behind the ear was a red, glass blown bead. Even costume jewelry on Naboo was pretty and fit for a Queen. 

 

Red like Maul’s skin. Anakin is nine years old and Obi-Wan isn’t certain if the boy understands that he had killed beings; of course the droid control ship was mostly full of droids but there had been a bridge crew of sentient life. 

 

Anakin viewed it as he viewed his pod-race win; a victory. 

 

Okay it was, but….Obi-Wan pursed his lips, better not to address. Maybe death wasn’t the best meaning for that bead. He thought onwards. Anakin is sitting at the table, drinking some green milk - Gundark milk, a close relative of Bantha milk but harder to get due to the fact that Gundark’s are murder bunnies - there is a mustache of green across his upper lip and he’s reading a data pad. 

 

“When do I get to go to class?” Anakin asked, swinging his legs. He’s a bit on the short side, for now, but Obi-Wan is certain he’ll grow tall. Possibly taller than his new Master and Obi-Wan wishes he didn’t get the short part of his genes. 

 

“Soon, but you need to do these assessments so that your teachers know where to put you. It wouldn’t do to think you are a beginner in something and then learn, through trial and error, that you know more and should be in a more challenging class.” Obi-Wan replied. 

 

“Some of the kids were teasing me today.” Anakin sighed, looking up from the data pad. 

 

“About what?” 

 

“They called me a….” the boy trailed off. 

 

Obi-Wan understood, he sat down at the table with the cup of tea he’d been making when his thoughts had turned to the meaning of Anakin’s red bead. “I used to be called Oafy-Wan when I was an initiate.” he admitted softly. Hoping that telling the tale of his own would unhinge Anakin’s words. 

 

“What?” Anakin frowned. Obi-Wan is the only family he has left, and no one took such insults lightly back in the slave quarters. 

 

“I never did figure out why.” Obi-Wan sighed. 

 

“Who did it?” Anakin demanded. Ready to fight. Obi-Wan smiled, laughed 

 

“I told you that so that you were in turn tell me what the kids called you. It’s a trust exercise, Padawan-mine.” Obi-Wan said, also trying out the nickname Qui-Gon had called him sometimes. Especially when Obi-Wan decided to test the older Jedi. 

 

“They called me a Bantha Snail.” Anakin grimaced. 

 

Obi-Wan blinked; “Okay, what does that mean to you?” he asked. 

 

“Huh?” 

 

“Well, to me it’s a silly name for someone who is a bit lazy. But you seem to hate it a bit more.” Obi-Wan explained, “So whatever it means to you, it’s worse. Am I correct?” 

 

Anakin nodded. “It’s not an apt translation but back home there’s something like it.” 

 

“What is it, please?” Obi-Wan encouraged as best he could. Unused to caring for someone so young. 

 

“Slug. it’s like snail but worse.” Anakin looked to be about to cry. 

 

“Is that….?” Obi-Wan felt his own throat close. “Anakin…” 

 

“I know they didn’t mean it.” Anakin sniffled. 

 

Obi-Wan is on the other side of the table and bringing Anakin into his arms. They sit there on the floor, Anakin crying into Obi-Wan’s Knight Robes and Obi-Wan holding him tight, humming a song he didn’t even knew he could remember and just there. 

 

“I’m sorry.” Anakin hiccupped, rubbing his eyes. 

 

“Don’t be, Anakin.” Obi-Wan smiled gently down at him. 

 

“I know Jedi aren’t supposed to cry.” the boy replied. Tired. 

 

“No, Jedi cry.” Obi-Wan shook his head. “We cry all the time. Just where no one can see and it’s not shameful. We cry for each other, we cry for ourselves sometimes but mostly we cry for the galaxy.” Obi-Wan explained. 

 

“So I can cry?” 

 

“Yes, it isn’t a weakness, at least, not here it isn’t.” Obi-Wan tugged the braid, “would you like some hot chocolate?” 

 

Anakin grinned then nodded; “with the white stuff?” 

 

Obi-Wan giggled; “Yes, with the marshmallows.” 

 

They stood and Obi-Wan deposited Anakin on his chair; “oh, and if you get called that again, punch whoever called you that out.” Obi-Wan admonished. 

 

“But isn’t violence bad?” Anakin asked. 

 

“I think someone being insensitive about the words they use around someone, or outright insulting anyone, is far more a grievous affair.” Obi-Wan replied. “Besides, I always wished I could punch my childhood bully. I won’t take that chance away from you.” 

 

Anakin didn’t really understand what his Master was saying, but since he did get permission. He was determined not to let Toydarian Padawan get to him. If he had learnt something in the last day from all of his datapads, it is that the first move of a Jedi is always peaceful. 

 

~*~

 

_ How incredibly boring.  _ Anakin determined the next day. A Master had come to Obi-Wan and encouraged him to let Anakin learn the Temple. On his own. By himself. Without a map. Obi-Wan hadn’t liked the idea of Master Chun was insistent. Then he pulled the “Council’s Order’s” card and Anakin knew in that very second Chun was liar. 

 

Obi-Wan couldn’t really do anything after that; and so Anakin had left. Thankfully some of the Knights hanging around didn’t mind giving him directions. But why would Chun want him to be on his own? 

 

Anakin didn’t like the feeling he was getting. 

 

“Is that all you got, Oafy-Wan!?” the voice was not nice. Anakin recognized it in an instant. He hadn’t realized he was close to the Salles either. One room held Chun and Obi-Wan. Their lightsabers at the ready. Some Padawan’s had gathered to watch. 

 

“You will find that I won’t be easy to beat.” Obi-Wan replied as if he were sitting down to tea with a good friend instead of facing off with Chun. And that name…..

 

Anakin put two and two together suddenly; Bruck Chun was the bully Obi-Wan had always wished he could punch out as a kid. Oh. So that’s why he gave carte blanche to Anakin the day before. He regretted it. 

 

Strange. Anakin screwed up his nose, that’s not very Jedi like. 

 

“What are you doing here, Snail?” the toydarian, Vad Mel, sneered. 

 

“That’s my Master in there.” Anakin replied. “Am I not supposed to be where my Master is?” he challenged. 

 

Vad Mel had the horrendous idea that he was top of the Padawan class. A system error had occurred where Anakin’s scored were put on display along with the rest of the Padawan’s despite the fact he hadn’t been signed up for any class. He had aced practically every assessment the Temple Teacher’s had given him, well, except the political one’s but with a few fishing questions thrown at a distracted Obi-Wan he hadn’t gotten a fail. 

 

That, of course, did not bode well to Padawan’s who hadn’t learnt the philosophy behind humbleness and pride. Vad Mel never did take to those lessons very well. Anakin was surprised he even had friends to begin with. 

 

“Leave Anakin alone.” a new voice said from behind. 

 

He turned to see one of the older Padawan’s, her braid is longer. As is her ponytail, dark brown, blue eyes and she has her arms crossed. “If you paid attention to your studies instead of bragging all the time and getting other’s to do your work for you, you wouldn’t feel threatened.” She admonished. 

 

“Stay out of it, Sojo.” one of Vad Mel’s friends returned, bitter. 

 

“No, and I am surprised at you, Sushina.” Sojo glared back. 

 

“Come on,” Vad Mel gurgled at his gang, “Let’s go.” 

 

Too afraid of the older Padawan, the younger children took off for a place where they could congregate without being called out on their heresy. 

 

“The name is Sojourner, actually.” the older Padawan said. 

 

“And you know my name how?” Anakin asked. Turning to face her. 

 

“Everyone knows your name, oh! Look, your Master is about to win.” she said rushing past him to get a good spot to watch. 

 

Obi-Wan had his lightsaber held high above his hand, his other arm extended and pointed to fingers at Chun. Chun’s stance looked a bit on the sloppy side if the diagrams Anakin had been studying were anything to go by. 

 

“Oh boy.” Sojourner shook her head. “Knight Chun is in for it now.” 

 

“What do you mean?” Anakin asked. 

 

“Well, it never fails. Knight Chun always goads Knight Kenobi into a duel and every time Knight Kenobi wins.” she explained. 

 

“How?” 

 

“Each time is different, but Knight Chun is far too…..sloppy, shall we say?” she shrugged. “I don’t know. He looks sloppy to me but he is second in all the lightsaber drills and stuff, behind Kenobi. In fact.” 

 

“Maybe he’s too full of himself.” Anakin postulated. 

 

Sojourner grinned; “That too. Pride goeth before a fall and all that rot.” 

 

They stopped talking when lightsabers clashed. It was going all too fast for Anakin but he did so how beautiful it was. His Master blocking all of Chun’s strikes. Striking back. Driving Chun to the edge of the matt. Normally, a foot out meant the duel was over and the loser decided. But Chun, apparently, did not play by the rules. He vaulted over Obi-Wan. The green blade came down. Slashed through clothing and tore a long gash on Obi-Wan’s back. 

 

Obi-Wan couldn’t help but scream at the searing pain of a fully energize lightsaber. Realizing now that Chun had not dialed down the energy to leave a mere welt or blister. 

 

Anakin gasped. He could feel the pain through the bond he had with Obi-Wan. Chun went in for another sweep. And if one blinked, they would have missed how utterly fast Master Windu had leapt from a balcony above the training room; blocking the green lightsaber with his own purple. 

 

“That’s enough.” the Korunnai said grimly. 

 

Obi-Wan’s back isn’t bleeding but Anakin runs to him anyway; “Master?” 

 

“I’m alright.” Obi-Wan is taking deep breaths so as not to throw up. His voice is twitchy though. Anakin glares at Chun. 

 

“Report to Council Chambers, now.” Master Windu glared at the Knight. Chun shrugged, shut down his saber and left the room. 

 

Master Windu turned to Obi-Wan; “and you, I am ashamed.” 

 

“Master….” 

 

“Goading another Knight like that….” 

 

Anakin glowered. “Master Obi-Wan wouldn’t do that.” 

 

“Be quiet, Padawan.” Obi-Wan hissed. 

 

“No.” Anakin shook his head. “It’s not right. It’s not. He’s the one who…” 

 

“Sssshhhh...Anakin.” Sojourner put her hand on his shoulder. “I’m certain that the Council will investigate the matter.” 

 

Master Windu’s grim look didn’t change; “Of course, we will.” and with that he turned and left the trainging room. 

 

“Knight Kenobi, let me help you.” Sojourner went to the man’s side. They were about the same age but she treated him as her better. 

 

“Thank you, Padawan Weaver.” Obi-Wan said, formally. 

 

“Master…” Anakin tried to help as best he could. It didn’t take them long to get to the Healers. Thankfully the hallways were silent. 

 

“I’m going to go see if I can’t do a thing.” Sojourner said once a Healer had ensconced Obi-Wan in a treatment room. “Just make him some tea and don’t let him on his back for a while.” she offered with a wave of a hand and she was out. 

 

Anakin sat in the lounge for what seemed like forever, but, eventually the Healer’s let Obi-Wan free and they returned to their suite. 

 

~*~

 

Master Yoda wasn’t expecting a visitor that night; Sojourner turned up at his rooms without an invite but a holo-disk in hand. 

 

~*~

 

Obi-Wan was expecting something. Anything. A grounding or being sent to Hoth for seven months for some stupid expedition. He did not expect that Chun and his Padawan would be sent on a long-ish mission with an admonishment about pride and cheating being involved. Master Windu had even apologized for jumping to conclusion. That had almost made Obi-Wan die right there on the Council Chamber floor. 

 

~*~

 

“Thank you.” Anakin smiled up at Sojourner who’d been invited to dinner as a thank you. 

 

“It’s my pleasure.” She smiled. 

 

“How’d you do it anyway?” Anakin asked, Obi-Wan was in the fresher so he needn’t worry about his Master overhearing. 

 

“I took exception to you being called names, I was determined to do something about it. With Chun and Vad Mel out of the way you should do fine. His group won’t do anything without him. They’re too cowardly.” she explained with a smile. 

 

Anakin hugged her tightly. 

 

He didn’t know why it mattered all of a sudden. But he did. 

 

“By the way….” Sojourner reached out to touch the red bead semi-hidden behind his ear. “What does this mean?” she asked. 

 

“It’s a desert storm.” Anakin replied. 

 

“Huh?” 

 

“The sky turns red on Tatooine before a desert storm.” Anakin shrugs. And off he goes to clean up the rest of the dinner dishes.    


 


End file.
